High school students are often told that going to college is necessary for their futures. It can be difficult, however, to look past the present and plan for college. It is even harder to look past college to one's career and see the benefits of going to college.

Students are often asked about their plans for the future. Some students know what they want to do with their lives, but many have no idea. One common thread among virtually all students, however, is that they want to be financially successful. Getting a college degree makes the path to financial stability a much easier one.

Statistics show that even community college graduates make significantly more than those with just a high school diploma (and a great deal more than those who drop out of high school). The graph below shows the average salary per postsecondary (after high school) degree. The general trend is that the more education you receive, the more money you can earn.

There are many reasons for the higher wages of college graduates. One of the main reasons is because college graduates have received a much higher level of education and training than those who have not been to college. Many jobs require an advanced level of learning that can only be obtained in college. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that each of the 20 highest paying jobs in the United States require at least a bachelor's degree.

The other major factor behind the success of college graduates is that they are well trained in SCANS competencies. These skills have been identified by the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education as being vital for success in the workplace, and are very highly valued by today's employers. While these are skills that everybody possesses to some degree, college graduates have honed them so that they are usually much more efficient and more successful in the workplace than those with less education. Employers know this, and they are willing to pay more for it.